Clippers Considering Deal for Kittles

With the deadline for a decision on Quentin Richardson fast approaching, the Clippers continued to talk Tuesday with the New Jersey Nets about a trade that would bring Kerry Kittles to Los Angeles, NBA sources said.

A 6-foot-5 guard, Kittles averaged 13.1 points, four rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals for the Nets last season. Due to make about $10 million next season in the last year of his contract, the 1996 first-round draft pick who is considered a top defender will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

The Clippers have until Thursday to make a decision on Richardson, a 6-5 guard who two weeks ago signed a six-year, $42.6-million offer sheet with the Phoenix Suns. If the Clippers don’t match the offer, they’ll lose the rights to the restricted free agent, their third-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder last season.

Richardson, 24, averaged career highs of 17.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists last season, his first as a full-time starter.

The Nets are in a cost-cutting mode.

They traded forward Kenyon Martin to the Denver Nuggets last week in a sign-and-trade deal and might be willing to move Kittles to the Clippers even though the Clippers are unwilling to trade Chris Wilcox, whom the Nets have targeted as a possible replacement for Martin.

Also Tuesday, the Clippers worked out former Laker forward Samaki Walker, a 28-year-old free agent who played last season for the Miami Heat.

The Clippers, who have only six players under contract for next season, last week worked out Zeljko Rebraca, a 7-foot center from Serbia and Montenegro. Rebraca, 32, played in 24 games last season for the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks.